Lu'au/Palusami
Lu'au is probably the dish that Samoa is most famous for and once eaten will never be forgotten. It is made from the leaves of the taro plant and coconut cream, however onions now tend to be added to it. The coconut cream, onions and some taro are wrapped up in whole taro leaves and, ideally, cooked in an umu. When cooked the parcel of taro leaves is opened and the contents eaten.
The taste is impossible to describe, but suffice it to say that this is truly a food fit for the Gods.
If you cannot obtain taro leaves it possible to produce a pale immitation using spinach. Take 2 pounds (1kg) of chopped spinach, two finely diced large onion and a pound of coconut cream. Boil the spinach for about 25 minutes, so that it is horribly overcooked, and fry the onions until they are soft and brown. Mix both of these together in a frying pan, add the coconut cream and salt to taste. Simmer this over a low heat for about 45 minutes.
Umu An umu is the traditional method used by Samoan's for cooking food. A fire is built and stones placed on it. When the fire is down to the embers green bananas, breadfruit, taro, fish, and lu'au are placed on the stones. When everything to be cooked has been placed on the umu, it is covered with banana fronds and left to cook. Oka: It is the process in which the Samoans prepare and serve raw fish. Small bits of fishes are are left to marinate in the mixture of lemon juice, coconut cream, salt and onions. Samoan-style chop suey
Ingredients
500g Blade Steak (thinly sliced into 2 to 3cm strips)
1 large Onion (coarsely diced)
8 Cloves Garlic (finely diced)
50g Ginger (finely diced)
100g Bean Vermicelli
750mls to1 Lt Water
100mls Dark Soy Sauce
100mls Peanut Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional Ingredients
2 Cups Mix Vegetables
100g Smoked Bacon
50mls Oyster Sauce
100g cooked shelled shrimps
Cooking time 30 minutes (not including preparation)
Serves four to six people.
Put water in bowl and soak vermicelli for 1/2 an hour. Then cut with scissors when vermicelli is soft along the middle and corners.
Heat oil on high, when sizzling add garlic and ginger fry till about to turn brown then add onion, cook till clear. Add all meat and fry till cooked then add half of soy sauce and cook for about two minutes then add vermicelli and mix vegetables stir well then simmer for 5 minutes or until vermicelli is clear on low heat. Then add Oyster Sauce. Add more Soy Sauce if needed to bring color to brown.
Meat best prepared the day before marinate with half measures of soy sauce, garlic and ginger and refrigerate.
Serve with rice.
Lu'au is probably the dish that Samoa is most famous for and once eaten will never be forgotten. It is made from the leaves of the taro plant and coconut cream, however onions now tend to be added to it. The coconut cream, onions and some taro are wrapped up in whole taro leaves and, ideally, cooked in an umu. When cooked the parcel of taro leaves is opened and the contents eaten.
The taste is impossible to describe, but suffice it to say that this is truly a food fit for the Gods.
If you cannot obtain taro leaves it possible to produce a pale immitation using spinach. Take 2 pounds (1kg) of chopped spinach, two finely diced large onion and a pound of coconut cream. Boil the spinach for about 25 minutes, so that it is horribly overcooked, and fry the onions until they are soft and brown. Mix both of these together in a frying pan, add the coconut cream and salt to taste. Simmer this over a low heat for about 45 minutes.
Umu
Oka: It is the process in which the Samoans prepare and serve raw fish. Small bits of fishes are are left to marinate in the mixture of lemon juice, coconut cream, salt and onions.
Samoan-style chop suey
Ingredients
- 500g Blade Steak (thinly sliced into 2 to 3cm strips)
- 1 large Onion (coarsely diced)
- 8 Cloves Garlic (finely diced)
- 50g Ginger (finely diced)
- 100g Bean Vermicelli
- 750mls to1 Lt Water
- 100mls Dark Soy Sauce
- 100mls Peanut Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional Ingredients- 2 Cups Mix Vegetables
- 100g Smoked Bacon
- 50mls Oyster Sauce
- 100g cooked shelled shrimps
Cooking time 30 minutes (not including preparation)Serves four to six people.
Put water in bowl and soak vermicelli for 1/2 an hour. Then cut with scissors when vermicelli is soft along the middle and corners.
Heat oil on high, when sizzling add garlic and ginger fry till about to turn brown then add onion, cook till clear. Add all meat and fry till cooked then add half of soy sauce and cook for about two minutes then add vermicelli and mix vegetables stir well then simmer for 5 minutes or until vermicelli is clear on low heat. Then add Oyster Sauce. Add more Soy Sauce if needed to bring color to brown.
Meat best prepared the day before marinate with half measures of soy sauce, garlic and ginger and refrigerate.
Serve with rice.
URL:
http://www.samoa.co.uk/food&drink.html
http://www.mapsofworld.com/samoa/people-culture-festivals/food.html
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/681957